UPDATE: Town Clerk Criticizes Lack of Debates

UPDATE: Thursday afternoon Kelly Moore, president of the North Braintree Civic Association, said he spoke with other civic organization leaders and they have decided not to hold a debate this year.

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At the tail end of Wednesday night's Candidates Forum at Braintree Town Hall, Town Clerk Joe Powers said he appreciated the appearance of the candidates, supporters, their families and the press, but that he believed the election was missing a "critical component."

Powers called out Braintree's civic associations for not putting candidates together this cycle in a debate, saying that he believes it is his role as clerk to introduce candidates to the voters, but not his to facilitate a debate.

"This is the first time in many years they have not stepped up," Powers said. "I really hope they are not picking and choosing which election cycles they participate in."

Kelly Moore, president of the North Braintree Civic Association, said that the lack of debates so far this year has nothing to do with election cycles. He also said it was unfair of Powers, a full-time municipal employee, to criticize those who work elsewhere and put in extra time with their organizations for not scheduling a debate.

"We’re all busy and discussed it and couldn’t pull anything together yet," Moore said Thursday morning. "It’s not a minor undertaking, coordinating something of this nature.”    

Moore said it was possible a debate may still happen, but nothing is currently planned. He said he is still discussing it with Dave Oliva, president of the East Braintree Civic Association.

Oliva said that it might happen, but that it is now late in the cycle, less than three weeks from the election on Nov. 5. 

"Joe Powers can say what he wants, but that’s his job," Oliva said. "We do it as volunteers.”

A representative of the Granite Park Association was not immediately available for comment Thursday morning.